An Avel, a group of 27 young musicians and dancers from Brittany, tour the Highlands from 9 to 15 August to share their culture through a series of Fest Noz.

A Fest Noz is a Breton style ceilidh, with apple cider instead of whisky and crepes instead of oatcakes.  An Avel travel with their own chef.

The visit came about through a contact made by the Kiltearn Fèis Rois Fiddlers at the Festival of Comouaille in Quimper, Brittany in 2002.  An Avel play most of the instruments associated with traditional Scottish music, and their various line-ups also include cello, flute, saxophone and percussion.

An Avel’s visit lands at an opportune time for meeting up with local young musicians, and there will a great sharing of tunes and dances with the members of the Caledonian Canal Ceilidh Trail and the Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail.

An Avel perform first at Cawdor Village Hall on Tuesday 10 August from 7 to 9.30pm (01667 458531); on Wednesday 11th they perform in Inverness City Centre in the morning, before heading down the glen to Glenurquhart High School, where they will invite all-comers to music and dance workshops from 4pm to 6pm. At 8pm they perform in the theatre along with the Caledonian Canal Ceilidh Trail band. 01456  459224).

On Thursday 12 An Avel move across to Ullapool to offer a dance workshop and an evening concert at the MacPhail Centre (01854 613336).

On the Friday 13 they move back to Evanton’s Jubilee Hall for a dance exchange with the Feis Rois Ceilidh Trail band from 8 to 10pm, followed on the Saturday by a joint concert from 7.30 to 10pm (01349 862600).